COLUMBUS, OH - One out of every three Ohio residents age 18 and older - an estimated 3.2 million adults - went boating this year, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Watercraft. The results are based upon an Ohio Poll Survey conducted by the University of Cincinnati.
This survey reflects how popular recreational boating is for Ohioans, said ODNR Division of Watercraft Chief Ken Alvey. Boating also increases the enjoyment of many recreational and family activities such as fishing, pleasure cruising, sailing, and wildlife viewing.
The poll revealed that the largest number of active boaters live in northeast Ohio, followed by the southeast and southwest regions. About 21 percent of the survey respondents said they do not own a boat, but enjoy going boating each year.
Results of the Ohio Poll also showed:
- About half of Ohio boaters enjoy boating exclusively in-state;
- The highest percentage of active boaters are age 30-45;
- Two out of every three adult boaters said they wear a life jacket at least some of the time while boating;
- Nearly half of the survey respondents said they had seen on TV or heard on the radio a public boating safety message.
Last year, Ohio ranked 8th nationally with 417,204 registered watercraft, which included power boats, non-powered boats, inflatable boats and personal watercraft such as JetSkis. In 1999, recreational boating contributed an estimated $1.4 billion annually to Ohios economy and helped support 19,500 Ohio jobs.
For Further Information Contact:
John Wisse, ODNR Division of Watercraft
(614) 265-6695
-or-
Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6882